“BUDGET PADDING IS AN ATTEMPT TO DAMAGE AKPABIO’S REPUTATION” – SOURCE DESCRIBES THE REQUIREMENT FOR NINGI’S REINSTATEMENT

Babatunji Wusu –

A National Assembly member disclosed that Abdul Ningi, the senator representing Bauchi Central, may have his three-month ban revoked due to accusations that he inflated the 2024 budget by N3.7 trillion.
Due to the uproar surrounding the purported budget padding, Ningi was suspended by the Senate last week, with Senate President Godswill Akpabio leading the charge.

In contrast, a source close to the Senate leadership claimed in an interview with Daily Trust that the accusations of budget padding were a ruse to damage Akpabio’s reputation and create distraction.

The congressman went on to say that the N3.7 trillion indicated is the budget of government-owned businesses (GOEs), which are anticipated to be defended due to the fact that the estimate does not always include all of the facts.

The source said, “I can tell you there is no tension in the Senate. The Senate remains one. The allegation about budget padding is just a ploy to tarnish the image of the Senate under Godswill Akpabio, who has shown uncommon commitment towards tackling the various challenges confronting the country by fostering effective collaboration with the Executive without jeopardizing the principle of separation of power.

“The N3.7 trillion that was mentioned represents the budget of government owned enterprises (GOEs) and they are expected to come to the Senate to defend their budget because the details are not always in the entire estimate. So, where is the budget padding allegation coming from? The budget was prepared by the executive. The House of Representatives plays more role in scrutinizing the budget and so where’s this allegation coming from if not because some people felt they should be the President of the Senate and not Senator Akpabio.

“There was also the allocation for Zonal Intervention Projects (ZIPs) for members of the National Assembly for their constituencies. The money is not being released to any lawmaker but this is in form of projects for their constituencies.”